National Women’s Council of Ireland calls on Bank of Ireland to withdraw its financial support for t

Published: Wednesday, March 10, 2004

The NWCI today strongly criticised the Bank of Ireland (BoI) for investing people's money in Remnant Media, who according to articles in today's national newspapers, purchased Fantasy Publications, which produces a number of pornographic magazines that are highly offensive to women.

"The NWCI has a clear position on pornography as a violation of human rights, an attack on the sexual and bodily integrity of the person, in particular of women and children" said Dr. Joanna McMinn, Director. "The NWCI argues that pornography operates to differentiate women from men by representing men in positions of power and influence over women - these positions are ones that are often abusive and or violent. Sexual objectification, common to pornography, portrays human beings, usually women or children, as depersonalised sexual beings rather than multi-faceted human beings deserving equal rights with men."

"We urge the Bank of Ireland to withdraw its support from this company," said Joanna McMinn. "If they continue to provide this financial support the NWCI close our own account with the BoI, and will be calling on all our members to close any accounts they have with the Bank of Ireland and transfer their money to other financial institutions."